Dry Reception

Honestly i don't think a wedding needs to have alcohol for it to be fun

We're doing the same and tbh...I might just not even tell people. Or you could put it somewhere on your website or invitations if you really want to let people know.

I wouldn't - not because of anyone's expectations but because there is no need to publicize the type of hospitality provided. To me, it's the same as not sending out a menu ahead of time (unless you need them to pick an entree). As long as they are hosted well - meaning enough for everyone of whatever you are serving/providing, and guests do not have to open their wallets.

I think you're totally fine! Dry weddings are no big deal

I see I am the minority here but I'd probably not go to a dry wedding or go but for a short time if I was very close w a couple. I would have preferred to know so I can make other plans that night. If your crowd are not drinkers I wouldn't worry about letting anyone know but if they are, I'd tell them. IMO

Your guests are coming because they want to celebrate your marriage, not get drunk! I wouldn’t expect my friends who didn’t drink to provide alcohol for everyone else and I would still want to go to show my love and support!

Unpopular opinion-people go to weddings to let loose and have a good time, and for a good amount of people, that involves a drink or two or five. I would tell people, and expect some people to be pissed. Expect some people to BYOB, and some people to decline based solely on that. But to surprise people with that fact I don’t see going over well.

View Quoted Comment You’d skip a good friend’s wedding simply because you wouldn’t be able to get tipsy?
Wow. The strength of your friendships must be....uh....tenuous at best if they’re dependent on alcohol.

View Quoted Comment I agree with this. the purpose of a wedding shouldnt be be for free alcohol. and it’s sad that you would decline based off of that... we’re doing a dry wedding because we have had issues with alcohol. we even told people if they brought their own that they would be asked to leave. even if i still did drink i would never decline a close friends wedding and make other plans solely because of the alcohol content. ridiculous.

We’re doing a dry wedding. i didn’t intent to let people know it was a dry wedding but ended up letting them know and stating if they brought their own or came not sober that they would be asked to leave. it’s your wedding and you can get in a lot of trouble with the venue if people bring alcohol anyway and you don’t have insurance which can also lead to a crap ton of fines on your end.

I think this is a know your crowd situation. Where I'm from an open bar is expected..unless the people getting married don't drink for religious reasons. I would give people on our guest list a heads up if we didn't have an open bar. One of our friends just checked to make sure that we were having an open bar while we were out this Saturday! That's just how it is here.

You know your guests best!

A friend of mine had a dry wedding, and it was a dry atmosphere. No one danced, I heard others complaining (her family and friends) about there being no alcohol. It was okay, for me because I was there to support my girl. But, be ready for a lot of unhappy people.

I feel like this is very much a know your crowd type of thing. We personally would have a lot of disappointed guests if we didn’t have an open bar at our wedding. It is also super important to me to have an open bar. I do agree with pp about it being a dry atmosphere. I would still go to a dry reception but I would follow the etiquette of leaving right after to cake cutting. I personally can’t let loose enough sober to dance.

View Quoted Comment Yea I totally agree with this. You don’t need alcohol but I would be expecting at least like champagne lol and I would also make plans for later. Alcohol isn’t mandatory but most of the time is expected. So while you don’t have to tell people it’s a dry reception you might expect people to leave early.

View Quoted Comment Thanks for passing on judgement I was just being honest. Weddings involve a lot - there are engagement gifts, wedding gifts, shower gifts, where I live you are also expected to cover the cost of your plate (average $150-250 pp). You better believe it I want to party. I would never skip a friend's ceremony be it a church or somewhere else. But I wouldn't feel terrible about skipping a reception. Unless I'm very close to a couple or am in the wedding then yea I'd go.

View Quoted Comment You are entitled to your own opinion just like I am. Don't be surprised if most of your guests leave early.

View Quoted Comment Considering most of my guests don’t drink themselves or are immediate family then i think i’ll be okay. and if they leave because there’s no alcohol and don’t celebrate with us because of the lack of alcohol then i don’t want them there anyway. My fiancé is a recovering addict, i’m not going to make him uncomfortable and risk anything so that a few people can drink for a night.

View Quoted Comment That's an entirely different situation id do the same if I were you. But it's probably a rather rare case. I know no one who had similar circumstances. In any event if I was a guest I'd want a heads up. Best of luck!

I don't think you have to tell them it's going to be alcohol free. I do suggest sparkling juice for the toast. Lol. I personally only want to be told if there's a cash bar in advance so I can budget. :-)

View Quoted Comment I dont either but I see the point everyone else is making too. I know we dont have money in the budget for alcohol but... I know half of our guests would be fine without it and the other half is questionable.

I agree with others about this being a "know your crowd" issue. If most of your guests are people who don't drink and/or you live in a community where dry weddings are common, it's probably not a big deal, and will likely be expected. That's not the case for our huge extended families on multiple sides. There's really not anyone who is a "drink to get drunk" type, but at pretty much all social gatherings (except kids' birthday parties?), at least wine and beer are available -- that's just expected hosting. In our social circle, it would be very unusual to hold a dry wedding (or a cash bar...), so if either were the case, I'd definitely try to spread the word so people know what to expect. I'm not sure people in our social group would decline, but they would definitely anticipate it being a shorter evening.